The convenience of online dictionaries is that they allow for a user to look up the definition of a desired word directly on the user's computer, without resorting to having to use a physical dictionary. A user can type a word into an online dictionary and a definition for that word can be generated and output to the user if the word exists (i.e., the word is a valid word). While previous implementations of online dictionaries have been useful, they are also antiquated. Previous online dictionaries require that a user search for a definition based on an input of an entire word. This can be problematic in instances in which the user does not know the entire word the user is looking up or does not know the actual correct spelling of the world. An incorrect spelling of a desired word usually results in no definition being generated for presentation to the user.
There may also be instances in which the user knows a definition that the user would like to convey, but does not know an applicable word for conveying that thought. Online dictionaries do not provide for a user to look up a word based on a definition or a partially known definition. Online dictionaries only allow for a user to input specific words to generate the output definitions.
There may also be instances where a user knows to use a variation of a given word, but the variation of the word is not defined by the online dictionary. For example, a user may have knowledge of the definition of a given verb, but may wish to use an adverb in a certain context. If a user inputs the adverb into an online dictionary, the user may instead get the definition of the root verb. The online dictionary may indicate to the user that an adverb may be formulated based on the root verb, but may not provide a definition for the adverb. For example, a user may want to know the definition of the adverb “knowingly.” A user who enters “knowingly” into the online dictionary is given a definition for either the verb “know” or the adjective “knowing.” Both the generated definitions of “know” and “knowing” may indicate to the user that an adverb “knowingly” may be formulated based on the words “know” and “knowing,” but the online dictionaries do not provide a definition of “knowingly” nor allow the user to see how the word “knowingly” relates to the verb “know” and the adjective “knowing.”